


Life is about more than surviving (but do we really deserve it?)

by Serenity_Searcher



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-04-07
Packaged: 2018-05-27 11:32:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6282925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serenity_Searcher/pseuds/Serenity_Searcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Centuries ago humanity was saved from extinction and sacred items were found. These idols when reunited will save humanity again. With a limited time until the end of humanity will it bring out the best of humanity? or the worst? With our very species on the line will two teenage girls be enough to save us all?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The countdown begins (100 days)

Lexa swung her wooden blade with a loud grunt only for it to once again be effortlessly blocked by Anya’s long wooden pole. Panting slightly Lexa spun and unleashed a rapid series of strikes from both her blades and waited for Anya’s defences to break under her onslaught. Within seconds Anya’s blocks were clumsy and slow and Lexa managed to slap Anya with both her blades in quick succession, drawing a twitch at the corners of Anaya’s mouth. Lexa knew it was basically a smile from her mentor’s stern face.

“You are stronger and faster than ever, good. The commander needs to be strong. Your strength will hold this coalition together.” Anya said panting slightly her face damp with sweat. Lexa nodded and returned her blades to the rack and retrieved her cloak.

“It is almost time, I need to see Titus.” Lexa said as she turned to leave.

“Then let me be the first to say it, Lexa kom Trikru Commander of the Blood.” Anya said with a short bow and an actual smile and Lexa returned it as she began to climb Polis Tower for her Conclave Ceremony.

…

“We have wounded, lots of wounded and the Chancellor’s been hurt.” The cry echoed down the hallway and Clarke Griffin’s head snapped up. It sounded like there had been an accident and her mother would need everybody to help her.

“I’ve got to go Wells, duty calls.” Clarke said as she raced for the door. Running down the corridors of the central building of Arkadia to the hospital. As she burst through the doors Clarke gasped at the sheer carnage strewn across the room. There was at least twenty people, several of them with crushed limbs and blood pouring down their bodies. Clarke ran to her mother’s side and gasped as she realised that her patient was Chancellor Jaha.

“Clarke good you’re here, get me some more morphine and O negative and then help me stop this bleeding.” Abby Griffin, Clarke’s mother and head of medical said as she furiously worked her hands, trying to stem the bleeding in multiple locations.

“On it,” Clarke said and raced away to the stores, looking at the sheer amount of injuries, they all had similarities many limbs seemed broken or crushed. As she returned to her mother’s side she asked her what had happened.

“There was an avalanche at the northern farms, it wiped them out and the hospital near the farms was overwhelmed so we got the worst injured. The Chancellor was visiting and inspecting the harvest when the avalanche struck. Bad timing really we lose half our farmland and our Chancellor is in serious trouble right.” Abby said as Clarke bound a particularly nasty wound on Jaha’s leg.

“If the northern farms were destroyed then what are we going to do for food?” Clarke asked wiping her brow in a vain attempt to stop sweat from dripping into her eyes. Clarke and her mother were working their hearts out just to try and stabilise to Chancellor. The last thing Arcadia needed was a fallen leader and a food shortage.

“The council will have to discuss it but don’t worry too much about it Clarke, just focus on your studies. We will find a way through this.” Abby said.

Clarke could tell that her mother was worried but was keeping it all to herself, there would be no point in spreading information about Arkadia running out of food. If it was bad enough the council or Jaha when he recovered would tell everyone. Clarke and Abby worked hard and managed to stabilise Jaha after about an hour’s hard work and then continued on t help the other wounded. It took three hours to get everyone stable and bandaged and set up blood transfusions for those in desperate need.

As Clarke slumped into a chair for a rest she saw Councilman Kane enter the room and rush up to Abby and mutter a few quiet words to her, Clarke only heard that it was something about an emergency meeting to deal with a new threat, not the current emergency or the impending crisis but a threat. Clarke knew that she couldn’t ignore that. She needed to know what was so important about this meeting and to find out she needed to ask Octavia Blake.

…

“The Conclave Ceremony isn’t just a coronation Lexa, it is an example of your strength. You are the commander of the Coalition, the Great Flame chose you and you must show your strength today.” Titus said as his bald head weaved in and out of Lexa’s vision as the three hand maidens worked on preparing the outfit chosen for her.

“I know this Titus, the Great Flame chose me and now I have to show the assembled Clans why. I have to exude strength for this entire ceremony. My decisions will have tremendous impact to all the clans. Your most important lesson is that love is weakness. We have been over this weakness will get me killed and tear the Coalition apart.” Lexa said frustrated.

“I merely remind you of the challenges ahead.” Titus said finally coming to a halt in front of her and inspecting the now completed outfit. Lexa was adorned with black warpaint dripping down from beneath her eyes, a long black cloak and form fitting black leather pants and tunic. On her left shoulder was a shoulder guard made from old tyre rubber. Her tunic and pants also had areas reinforced with old tyre rubber and straps and buckles and several knife holsters. Hanging from her hip was her sword. Titus gave a final nod and Lexa prepared for her Conclave Ceremony.

The ceremony was simple; the Commander entered the room and was responded to any challenges. The way that the Commander responded to these challenges was the most important part. The Coalition needed a strong leader to keep it together and reduce the possibility of infighting or even a civil war.

Lexa steeled herself before the large wooden doors and flung them wide. She strode directly to her throne and sat down staring at the gathered leaders of The Twelve Clans that made up the Coalition. The intensity of her entrance had taken most of the clans by surprise and any challenges they had were silenced by the hard, blazing look in Lexa’s eyes. The most obvious exception was Nia, Queen of the Ice Nation.

Nia stood and stared at Lexa, eyes travelling up and down her body, her scars showed bright white against her old, weathered skin and ice cold eyes seemed to be boring right to Lexa’s core. Whatever it was that her inspection discovered seemed to displease her, causing her lips to rise into a snarl.

“I challenge you, take her.” Nia yelled and two of her warriors charged at Lexa.

Lexa was expecting it and was fast to her feet, blade in hand to meet her foes. The first enemy caught one swipe of her sword but the sheer aggressiveness of her attack caught him off guard and with a few simple swipes Lexa was able to slave her blade across his throat. She didn’t have time to watch him fall because she was forced to defend herself from her other opponent, a much more experienced and skilled warrior.

His attacks were more precise, forcing Lexa onto the back foot. The intensity of attacks drove Lexa past her throne and out to the open balcony. This balcony had a beautiful view of the city of Polis but the only sight in Lexa’s eyes was the brutal Ice Nation warrior forcing her back to the edge.

As Lexa’s calves hit the low brick wall at the edge of the balcony the Ice Nation warrior smiled, sure of his victory and it was this moment that Lexa had been expecting and used to her own advantage. She used the low ledge to fling herself at the Azgeda soldier and knocked him back, and she rolled along the ground, springing to her feet as he regained balance and lashed out with a vicious kick to the chest and sending the warrior plummeting hundreds of metres to his death, screaming all the way.

Lexa turned to the gathered leaders of the twelve clans and snarled, “Anybody else want to challenge me?”

The assembled delegates were silent. Lexa didn’t even smile to acknowledge their silence merely went back to her throne and stood and stared at them, daring any of them to make even the slightest noise. The Conclave ceremony was over and Lexa had survived the challenge in such a way that nobody dared to speak against her again, at least for the time being. With a short nod and a harsh glare the twelve clan leaders filed from the room and Titus entered.

“Heda, your time has come to learn the great mantle of the Commander. The task that every Commander from first to last will face. The way to ensure humanity’s survival.” Titus said as he walked, leading Lexa to the highest internal chamber of Polis Tower.

“This is where the Great Flame is kept and the ultimate secret of our people, only the Commander is told. Welcome to the Polaris Vault.” Titus said as he flung the door open for Lexa to gaze upon the room that only the Commander and Fleimkepa saw.

The room was small but brightly light from a beautiful crystal fire in the centre and on the walls were hung intricately detailed portraits of the items similar to the crystal flame in the centre of the room and a gorgeous tree that looked like the one that was kept secret and safe by the Trikru, Lexa’s Clan. Lexa’s eyes went around the room looking at all the pictures and realised that even though there was one for each of the twelve clans there were still more that were completely unheard of. There was a crystal that seemed to have clouds inside and although it was only a mere painting it appeared as though the clouds would be moving in real life. There was also a mountain carved from a black stone and a small group of square lights. In the centre of the room underneath the flame stood a magnificent silver chest.

This chest was what drew Lexa’s attention and she quickly walked up to to it to get a closer look. It was about a metre tall and appeared to have some sort of door in the top. Lexa reached out and at the slightest brush of her fingers the door sprang open, sliding along the chest leaving ithanging off the edge and a small black rectangle lit up with the number 100 in it. Lexa gasped and heard Titus do the same behind her. The crystalline flame suddenly ignited in blinding light which calmed down to leave if glowing and pulsing. Inside the chest was a number of small slots, sixteen in all, one for each of the items pictured on the walls.

“Heda, it seems that the task of the Last Commander falls to you. The stories we keep say that when this chest opens that within one hundred days the sixteen Pieces of the Ark must be gathered inside in order to save humanity. We have thirteen of them among the clans and believe that the Mountain Men have one but the last two we have no ideas.” Titus said.

Lexa felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, she had started the countdown to the end, and she was the Last Commander. She hoped that she would be enough.

…

Clarke struggled through the cramped air ducts following the wiggling of Octavia’s butt, of course she would notice just how nice an arse Octavia had at this moment when she was busy trying to figure out exactly what was causing her mother and Kane such worry.

The narrow ducts eventually led to a vent open over the Council meeting room. Looking down into the room Clarke saw that the council was already deep in discussion. She saw Charles Pike and Diana Sydney in conversation with her mother and Kane with Jaha’s seat sitting ominously empty.

“You haven’t noticed that the juvenile cells are being emptied at night time? Our children are being stolen away and put who knows where and you haven’t noticed?” Sydney asked in shock.

“I am more concerned with the explosions that seemed to be the cause of that avalanche. Somebody organised that avalanche to destroy North Farm. South Farm has had such a low yield we won’t survive unless we go down into the valley and search for food.” Pike said, deep voice echoing through the room but also trying to claim his problem needed the most focus.

“I am talking about the evil somewhere in Arkadia taking our kids and doing who knows what to them.” Sydney yelled at Pike who she felt was missing the point.

“I am talking about somebody who wants to wipe out all of Arkadia, if we starve there will be no more children or life in Arkadia.” Pike glared at Sydney. The two seemed about to come to blows when Kane cleared his throat to speak.

“Both of these are threats to Arkadia, so we must deal with them accordingly. Charles I would like you to gather plenty of the unijured farmers from North Farm and prepare an expedition to the valley floor. You are not to go further than necessary from the bottom of the cliffs maybe three kilometres at most. Diana I would like you to investigate these missing children, keep it quiet though.” Kane’s diplomatic decisions made sense and surprisingly the two arguing councillors agreed to his plan. This was the moment when Abby spoke up.

“You all know the legend of the Sky Pillar right? How that when it comes to life the last days of humanity are at hand?” Abby asked her voice worried and tense and the three councillors nodded.

“We know it coming to life is the start but we don’t know the exact time. We need to come up with a plan to save us all.” Abby said.

As Abby brought out the chest and revealed the Sky Pillar Clarke couldn’t help but gasp, but her gasp quickly turned into a squeal as the air duct collapsed dropping Octavia and her into the room and into the glares of the four councillors. Clarke looked downcast and realised she was going into the juvenile lock up but Octavia started screaming and was ready to fight.

“Octavia, no. We got caught but without announcing the Sky Pillar issues they can’t keep us in there forever.” Clarke said, calming her friend who hated to be confined anywhere, part of the reason she could lead Clarke right to the Council Chamber with her intimate knowledge of the air ducts.

“For the good of Arkadia you two will be locked up for as long as is necessary.” Abby said darkly.

100 days starts now


	2. Descension Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and Octavia are in prison and remember a previous accident, they get suspicious of certain council members. Lexa faces a threat to the grounders. The countdown has put a lot of plans into action, threats are circling.

Clarke gave a frustrated sigh as Octavia gave another series of loud bangs on the door of their cell. Octavia hated not being able to go anywhere and so when an accident occurred locking the majority of doors in Arkadia she had used the air vents to get around and keep moving, imprisonment was hell for her. That was also the accident that had caused Clarke’s father’s death. Clarke thought back to that awful week a few years ago.

 

_Alarms blared for a few seconds then went silent as the heavy thudding of dozens of doors slamming shut echoed through the main complex of Arkadia. Clarke looked up from her homework at her mother as she raced for the door to their quarters barely managing to get outside before it slammed shut. Panic quickly overtook Clarke and she raced for the door screaming for her mother. Her fears were briefly calmed when the window slot of the door opened to see Abby standing there looking at her with deep concern._

_“I’ll be right back Clarke, don’t worry and sit tight, I’ll send someone to check on you if I can’t make it, okay?” Abby said, waiting for Clarke to respond._

_“Ok mum.”Clarke said softly and watched as her mother ran down the hall, footsteps echoing weirdly in the silence. Clarke returned to her homework but the words on the page just looked like a bunch of random letters, she couldn’t focus at all. She had no idea how long she waited until the first noises started to be made. There was a soft thumping from the air vents in the ceiling causing Clarke to move a chair across to look into the vent. As Clarke raised her head to the vent she saw a pair of brown eyes staring at her, she screamed and fell backwards off the chair, landing hard on the floor._

_The brown eyes belonged to a small brown haired girl who was quickly forcing her way out of the vent to see if Clarke was hurt._

_“I’m Octavia Blake, I just couldn’t stand being stuck in a tiny room so I went exploring. Sorry to scare you.” Octavia said in a rush, eyes flicking back and forth around the room as though she was already looking for an escape._

_“If you don’t mind me asking if you hate small spaces why are you crawling through the vents?” Clarke asked the strange girl. If she had claustrophobia how could she move through the air ducts?_

_“Oh I’m not against small spaces exactly I just can’t deal with my movements being restricted. This situation is not good for me, I’ll swing by later Clark but I need to find a way out of these locked rooms.” Octavia said as she went to climb back through the air ducts again._

_And that was how the week of lockdown went for Clarke, supplies were dropped off morning and evening while the engineers who had survived the explosion worked to open the doors and Octacia would drop by for a chat with Clrke each time her air duct travels brought her past the room. When the power was eventually returned Clarke learned that there had been an accident and her father had not survived. That news had almost broken Clarke, it took her months to recover from his loss._

“Octavia, stop it. We got thrown in here because of my mistakes but do you remember the day we met?” Clarke asked which caused Octavia to stop and think for a few moments.

 

“That was the time there was this massive accident and the doors were locked for like a week and your dad died? Are you thinking that the Council doesn’t think either of those have been accidents?” Octavia asked her brain whirring, she did know that there was something wrong in Arkadia but couldn’t quite figure out exactly what.

 

“I’m thinking that somebody is actually trying to destabilise Arkadia, especially when you think about what happened after the doors were finally opened. That was the week that North Farm had hundreds of extra people move out there. Councillor Pike was one of the first people sent out there.” Clarke said thinking back.

 

“So say Pike’s setting these accidents off. What would he get out of it?” Octavia asked.

 

“I have no idea, and that’s not a good thing. We need to get out of here and fast.” Clarke said rising to her feet and starting to look around the cell to try and find anything that could lead to a potential escape plan.

 

As she he stood up the door to their cell burst open to reveal two masked people holding guns shouting at the pair of them before firing at the two girls. As Clarke was hit she realised that they were darts and as she fell she realised they were drugging them. Clarke was angry as she fell into darkness.

 

…

 

“Say that again. Explain.” Lexa barked at the messengers from the Rock Line Clan that had come riding hard into Polis that morning. Something had happened, something serious and when they gave the details Lexa listened carefully trying to confirm her theory.

 

“One of our villages was attacked with a bolt of fire from The Mountain. Then in the smoke and flames came maybe a dozen men, faces covered with weapons that spat fire, they killed all the survivors. Then they moved to another village, they are searching for something. Heda jus drein jusdaun. Let us bring the might of The Coalition against them.” The lead messenger spoke, snarling the mantra of The Coalition, what had formed it and what had kept it strong.

 

“Assemble the war council, bring a representative of each clan. I have much to discuss with them.” Lexa said and messengers ran to do her bidding and she strode out onto her balcony and looked westward to where the sun had set hours before. On a clear night there was sometimes lights she could see at the edge of the far off mountains, she had sent people out there but found impassable cliffs and no way to understand what the lights were, yet at least. As she watched she saw a flare of bright light from the air above the mountain tops and watched as it fell to the valley floor. Lexa had to know what it was.

 

“Bring me Anya, immeadiately.” Lexa shouted without taking her eyes off the spot where the light had disappeared. This was no coincidence first the eastern peaks belch fire and warriors and now the lights from the western mountains finally descend to the valley floor. Lexa was starting to think that maybe it was all connected back to the moment she was in the Polaris Vault and started the countdown on the silver chest. Lexa heard the hurried steps of Anya, her trusted soldiers.

 

“The western mountains have sent something to the valley floor in Trikru territory, take your fastest riders and find out what it is. I will send Tyson after you with three hundred warriors. You will be in command, they are merely reinforcements. I need to know what it is.” Lexa’s orders were sharp and clear and she pointed to the site the light had landed. “Things have changed Anya and they are my fault.” L.exa said, the weight of the countdown weighing down on her.

 

“It will be done Heda” Anya said kneeling, before turning and racing to collect her riders.

 

…

 

Clarke was still angry, she had been moved from one cell to another prison. One with much higher security, well not really security because looking out the tiny window Clarke could see the edge of the Great Cliffs that Arkadia was at the top of but there was no city looking back at her. She saw the jagged edges and tall spires that told her she was somewhere north of Arkadia and that somehow she was out above the emptiness of the valley. As Clarke looked out the window she heard a scuffle at her cell door and turned to see Finn Collins bursting through her door.

 

“Hey, come on we’re getting outta here. There aren’t any guards in here.” Finn said, panting slightly and gesturing to Clarke to follow. Clarke didn’t hesitate long following him out into the halls.

 

“What did you do to get locked up?” Clark asked as they ran, checking every cell they came along. It took about three cells before they found another occupied one; containing Octavia.

“Edge running, a sport me and few of the guys made up, we go a mile or two out of the main city, there’s this great rough edge of the cliff that we race along. We got busted one afternoon a month ago, thrown into juvenile lock up and then two days later got thrown in here. I heard one of the guards call it the Skybox.” Finn said as the lock finally gave way letting a very stir crazy Octavia to burst out into the hallways.

 

“Thank you so much, hey Edge runner feel free to rescue me anytime.” Octavia said winking flirtatiously at her rescuer. Clarke just rolled her eyes but kept her mouth shut.

 

Over the next hour or so the three of them managed to open dozens more cells and found the front door. The front door opened onto a narrow bridge that connected the Skybox to the cliffs, halfway across the bridge was Octavia’s brother Bellamy, running hard towards them.

 

They soon saw the reason he was running s hard; a few men were firing rifles at his retreating back. The prisoners quickly ducked back and opened a path for Bellamy as he dove through the doorway. Clarke saw an explosion at the other end of the bridge and realised exactly what they were doing; whoever they were they were sending the Skybox to the valley floor. They were going to drop fast and as the bridge fell away Clarke felt the shockwaves of additional explosions coming from beneath them.

 

“Everbody hold on to something, we are about to fall into the valley.” Clarke screamed, trying to be heard over explosions and the panic of the other prisoners.

 

Clarke blacked out as the Skybox slammed into the ground with a colossal crashing sound. No movement was seen in the Skybox for hours.

for hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hopes its enjoyable enough, any comments are immensely appreciated. Clexa will meet soon enough but I did need to set up the world I am writing about.

**Author's Note:**

> Well I hope it wasn't too confusing with the jumping backwards and forwards but I felt like I needed to set things up like how Arkadia is a City in the mountains looking over the valley and has one of the pieces ie the Sky Pillar and that there is a limited time to reunite them and a set up. I hope you enjoyed it and will continue to read as I post additional chapters. Also I have tumblr under the name serenity-searcher if you have any further questions (I just set it up as I posted this so its really new)


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